President Donald Trump has canceled a planned trip by a United States delegation to Pakistan, citing what he described as “infighting” within Iran’s leadership and saying the trip would have been “too much work.” The decision comes as efforts to broker peace between the US and Iran face new challenges, with uncertainty persisting over ongoing ceasefire and nuclear negotiations.
President Trump stood down special envoy Steve Witkoff and advisor Jared Kushner after Iran’s foreign minister left Pakistan following talks. Trump told reporters before boarding Air Force One in Florida that he decided against sending the team, stating, “Too much travelling, takes too long, too expensive. They weren’t meeting with the leader of the country. They were meeting with other people, and I said we’re just not going to do it.”
He added that the US delegation would not “be travelling for 15 or 16 hours to have a meeting with people nobody has heard of before.”
In a social media statement Trump said, “There is tremendous infighting and confusion within their ‘leadership.’ Nobody knows who is in charge, including them. Also, we have all the cards, they have none! If they want to talk, all they have to do is call!”
Despite canceling the delegation’s visit, Trump said the move does not mean a resumption of hostilities. When asked if the current ceasefire with Iran would continue, he replied, “I haven’t even thought about it.” The ceasefire was extended earlier this week at Pakistan’s request to allow more time for diplomacy, but the prospects for progress appear dim after this latest setback.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi departed Islamabad after presenting Iran’s demands and concerns about US positions. He emphasized, “It remains to be seen whether the United States is truly serious about diplomacy.”
Iran has insisted that any discussions would be indirect and mediated by Pakistani officials, and has previously ruled out new rounds of direct talks.
The conflict began with US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran in late February, followed by Iranian retaliatory attacks. While a ceasefire is currently in place, military tensions remain high, especially around the Strait of Hormuz, a critical passage for global oil shipments. The US Navy is currently working to clear Iranian mines from the strait, a process expected to take months.
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains far below normal levels, and energy markets have reacted with concern, pushing oil prices up by 16 percent this week. The war and its aftermath have already led to thousands of deaths in the region and have disrupted global trade and aviation.
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